Aspire - Kanthony's continuation story

Chapter 6 - Modistes, marriages and mares

"You truly are a more understanding head of this household than my mother ever was. Or Anthony is." Eloise smirked and put her hand on Kate's knee.

"Well, I do believe that a young girl should have the same freedom of choices regarding her own life as a young man does." Kate smiled and put her hand upon Eloise's. "I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves."

"Oh, I see you truly have read your fair share of Wollstonecraft." Eloise grinned.

"Eloise, it is totally fine if you do not want to see this season to its end, or if you want to step aside from next year's season completely. But I do also hope that you at least would entertain the possibility that you actually might meet someone exciting there..." Kate hummed and caressed Eloise's hand. "Someone who makes you forget about everything else and understands your every wish and thought without you having to explain them. I know that you see all the men of the ton as a dull mass of equally pretentious and brainless peacocks, but there is always more to people than meets the eye. One should also be less judgeful about their first impressions and humble enough to admit their mistake if someone proves out to be more than what you gave them credit for... Me and your oldest brother had to learn that the hard way." She finished with a crooked smirk.

"What if I do not want to marry someone from the ton...?" Eloise asked hesitantly. "What if I wished to marry someone who is simply a... Clerk, or something...?"

"Then I would be more than happy to give you my blessing." Kate smiled fondly. "And Anthony as well, after I would have banged some sense into his thick head..." She laughed and so did Eloise. "You do know that my father was just a royal secretary, but he was the most noble, loving and honest man I have ever known. If you were to find your happiness with such a man, I would be delighted for you." She stated solemnly, but Eloise just fidgeted with the hem of her dress. "Eloise...? Is there already someone you have in mind?" Kate queried with a cautious grin. Eloise had never told her about her infatuations, so Kate knew nothing more of the matter than what she had read in Lady Whistledown's Society Papers during the fateful social season last year.

"No... Or perhaps there was someone, but it is over now." Eloise sighed deeply.

"Do you want it to be over?" Kate asked and held Eloise's hand in her own.

"I... I do not know." Eloise admitted. "But I think it is better this way."

"El –" Kate began, but was interrupted by a knock on the frame of the door.

"Might we continue with Miss Eloise's dress...? I do not wish to disturb you, but we still need to try out your dress, Viscountess Bridgerton, and I do have other clients on their way." Madame Delacroix peeked inside, looking somehow both polite and stern.

"Of course, we shall continue at once!" Kate said and stood up. "With my dress, that is. I am sorry, but Miss Eloise will not be needing this lovely dress after all." She added, making Eloise jump up happily from the sofa and run behind a screen to change into her own garments.

"I see, très bien." Madame Delacroix smiled, not seeming at all disappointed over not making a sale, but rather pleased that the young girl's apparent hopes had been met. "Well, here is the beautiful teal 'tous les jours' dress I have made for you, viscountess." She presented the gown, which Kate received with a smile and disappeared behind another screen. After a moment she stood looking at herself in the large golden mirror. "I believe it matches the Bridgerton colour theme perfectly." Madame Delacroix murmured contentedly. Kate thought that she indeed looked like she had wrapped one of the curtains from the drawing room of Bridgerton House around her body, but the light colour suited her better than she had imagined. Still, she felt more at home amidst the vibrant colours of Aubrey Hall, a fact which had caused her even more distress during her prolonged stay at the family's London residence. As a complete opposite to Aubrey Hall, which Kate loved, with its deep colours and a decor that breathed out the dignity those rooms had possessed for decades, Bridgerton House was much more modern, neat, elegant and prominently white, as well as... Abundantly teal. Kate had already made some alterations to their bedroom, including buying some paintings and receiving one of Benedict's work that Kate held especially dear, a beautiful scenery of a sunrise over Aubrey Hall, but she had not yet been bold enough to start redecorating the other rooms as well. And maybe she should not, now that she saw how surprisingly good she looked in the family colours. Neither did she want to upset Violet or the other Bridgertons, who seemed to be quite accustomed to and in favour of the existing colour palette.